Police Arrest Alleged Pot Dealer in Raid at Ninth Street and Ocean Avenue

Eileen LeGates November 22, 2011 at 10:55 pm

Thanks to OCPD for the fabulous work they do in keep our town, and more importantly, our kids drug free.

tax payer November 22, 2011 at 11:07 pm

good job,, wonder what the people who say they are not worth there pay will say??

JM November 22, 2011 at 11:16 pm

Nice work OCPD! Keep those dopers outta town!

Bob November 23, 2011 at 04:47 pm

Thumbs Up OCPD... Now it up to our legal companies to put him away. It says $25m cash bail to hold him. That's chump change. It cost more than that to arrest him. Our courts need severe adjustments.

Logical. November 24, 2011 at 11:52 pm

You are all hypocrites, congradulating police officers for arresting a man for having a harmless drug. As you all are probably drinking your wine this thanksgiving. Focus on the real problems and stop this war on a harmless drug cannabis helps people instead of poisining them with alcohol. Cocaine is a different story.....

Stop the hypocrisy November 25, 2011 at 12:12 am

Let's also not forget the spiraling costs associated with the "war on drugs". What has actually been accomplished in the last 50 years except for pushing people to use cheaper & more widely available prescription drugs? In addition, the police and prison guard unions will never allow cannabis to be legalized. There are too many (unnecessary) jobs at stake.

sue November 25, 2011 at 11:53 am

Your point is well taken. However. mariijuana is illegal and until this changes it should not be compared to alcohol. Mr Palermo shoulds have thought of that before having this substance in his posession.

anonymous November 27, 2011 at 03:27 pm

Congrats OCPD...you found something better to do than stand at the corner of 9th and bay and look for people making a left hand turn.
The cocaine is man made and bad I agree with that...but if you can honestly say that the personal use of marijuana is worse than the personal use of alcohol you are a complete idiot... Let me know when you find the first person in history that dies from OD of marijuana. How many drunk drivers kill people each year? How many stoners kill each other each year? How many domestic disputes are alcohol related? How many pot heads beat their wives and abuse their children? Marijuana is a healing medicine...it is also natural...it is the only so called "drug" that comes from a seed, grows, drys, and gets used...everything else is man made..including alcohol... How many Dr.'s tell sick patients ..."go home and drink a 12 pack and 3 shots of vodka" ? Bottom line...yes this guy took a risk, some looser rated him out and now he's paying the price?.but most of your comments are pathetic...go to ALOT of other beach cities in the country and they are dealing with bigger issues than a plant that grows in the ground...

steve fenichel November 28, 2011 at 02:46 am

Armed to the teeth, the paramilitary SWAT team arresting a 24 yo young man at 2am for possession of a non-dangerous, natural herb and allegedly cocaine is an insane waste of precious tax dollars.
Regulate and tax these substances and crime vanishes.. Witness the taxing of nicotine containing products which is a far more addicting drug than cocaine and like magic, no crime and no SWAT teams disturbing law abiding citizens at 2am. The only courage in this sorry tale is the young man who probably refused to "cooperate with the Police to entrap his friends as he was likely entrapped by a "friend" leading to his public outing by the Police. Jurors must stand firmly on their traditional power to determine if the charges in an arrest is truly a crime.In our society where the most addicting drug Nicotine is legal, the most physiologically damaging drug Alcohol is legal, the most damaging addiction to not only the "user" but his entire family, Casino gambling is legal. The only purpose in the SWAT mentality is to create fear. In this way people can be controlled facilitating more and more money for militarizing the Police. Steven Fenichel, MD

Mr. B November 28, 2011 at 03:07 am

16,500 dollars in cash, cocaine and pot. do you honestly think the right course of action for the PD would have been to call ahead and knock on the door and ask politely to let them in??? they have no idea whats waiting for them on the other side of that door. and I did not know it was a jury's job to write law, thought they were instructed to find innocent or guilt based on CURRENT law.

steve fenichel November 28, 2011 at 03:56 pm

To understand the traditional role jurors must play in order to keep democracy alive
please go to the website: http://fija.org/ (Fully Informed Jury Association). It is only when juries nullify bad laws by acquitting defendants accused of breaking a bad law(alcohol prohibition, Jim Crow, marijuana) despite the wishes of the Judges the Legislators will get instant feedback on the need to change those bad laws. Steven Fenichel, MD

Mr. B November 28, 2011 at 09:45 pm

According to Erick J. Haynie, "it is highly questionable whether jurors should be instructed to 'make' the law when a legislative body has already done the job for them. Congress and the state legislatures have superior expertise, resources and perspective to make macro-social decisions, and much more time to reach a well-reasoned decision than does 'a group of twelve citizens of no particular distinction snatched away from their primary vocations' to spend a couple of days in court.

Mr. B November 28, 2011 at 09:47 pm

the website you reffered me to is nothing more than Jury Nullification, and that is not what a jury is seated for. and that is why almost the whole board resigned from that organization.

anonymous November 29, 2011 at 03:33 pm

$16k in cash makes you dangerous ? I bet it cost $50k+ do do their investigation work and call in the swat team for this joke of a "raid". How many people on this island do you think have $16k in a safe in their beachfront mansion? I bet more than you think...are they all dangerous? Or is he dangerous because he had a bunch dried up plants that grow naturally from the earth from a seed that has been around longer than the bible?
My guess is the cocaine was a minimal personal use amount..he will not get jail time, the cocaine possession will be dropped, he will plead guilty to possession of some marijuana, get some probation, some fines, and have to pay a lawyer some decent coin....all waste of money and time..

WatchDog December 16, 2011 at 05:53 am

Fenichel,
Sounds like someone hit a sore nerve. Have you or someone you know been accused of marketing in this "natural herb?" If I follow your recently publicized logic, indirecly inhaling fumes from the B.L England power plant is worst for me then smoking a joint. As a doctor, you should not be condoning putting any foreign substance into your lungs. I fear you value seeing your name in a headline and promoting your brand of politics more than offering any valid argument against the war on drugs.